Lingerie-clasp



' A. KESTENMAN.

LINGERIE CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5. I918- 1,327,761. Patented Jan. 13,1920.

1? K l i l L l 4 6i F INVENTOQ:

' TED STATES PATENT oFF oE.

ABRAHAM KESTENMAN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASS'IGNOR TO KESTENMAN BROS. MFG. COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A FIRM COMPOSED O]? ABRAHAM KESTENMAN AND CHARLES H. KESTENMAN.

LINGERIE- CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, .1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM KESTEN- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lingerie- Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved lingerieclasp for the shoulder-straps of ladies undergarments. The object of my improvement is to provide a simplified device of this kind which is easier and cheaper to manufacture than the usual type, and neater and more ornamental in appearance, besides being more durable in use.

The manner and means for carrying out the improvement are fully described in the following specification, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts. In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved lingerie-clasp showing its two parts or jawmembers closed together;

Fig. 2, a side elevation showing the jawmembers in closed relation and illustrating the open position of the upper jaw in dotted lines;

Fig. 3, an enlarged, tion of the jaw-hinge;

Fig. 4, an enlarged, side elevation of the hinge-portion of the clasp and Fig. 5, an enlarged, plan view of the strip or blank from which the lower j aw-member is constructed.

Referring to the drawings, my improved clasp C comprises two opposite jaw-members 2 and 3 which are hinged together at one end and provided with means for clasping their opposite ends in closed relation to confine the shoulder-straps of the garment therebetween. Asshown particularly in Fig. 2, the lower jaw-member 3 comprises a flat plan view of a porbase-piece 4, which is arched upwardly.

slightly between its ends, and provided with an upper, bowed bridge-piece 5 overlying the full length of its top. The lower jaw 3 of the clasp is c n tructed i on piece from length with a longitudinal slot 6'cut into its end for a purpose as later explained. At the opposite end of the base-piece 4 the strip is cut away along its sides to form a relatively narrow bar which, when bent or folded to overlie the base 4, provides the arched bridge-piece 5. Adjacent the outer end of the narrowed bridge-piece 5 the strip is left of the same width as the main basepiece 4, forming a lateral bar or cross-member 7. Beyond the cross-bar 7 the strip extends in a narrowed tongue 8 which forms a part of the hinge-joint for the two parts of the clasp.

In bending up the lower jaw-member 3 the base-piece '4 is curled around at the point X-X, shown in Fig.- 5, to form a'circular loop 9 at its end, see Fig. 2. From this point the narrow bar 5 is arched upwardly above the top of thebase 4 to overlie the latter and provide a longitudinal bridgeepiece which acts to clamp the garment-straps against the upper jaw 2 when the latter is clasped to the lower jaw 3, as shown in Fig. 2.

The upper jaw 2 consists of a thin strip of metal of the same width as that of the base-piece 4, bent into arcuate shape between its ends to conform to the general, curved shape of the whole clasp. At one end it is formed with two spaced-apart ears curled around into circular loops 10, 10, see Figs. 1 and 2, which are adapted to receive a lateral hinge-pin 11. To unite the hingeparts with the lower jaw-member 3 the tongue 8 at the end of the bridge-piece 5 is curled around the hinge-pin 11, asshown in Fig. 4, between the two ears 10, 10, see

also Fig. 1. Usually the pin 11 is swaged over at. its ends to hold it in place, and is fast in the cars 10, 10, but free to turn in the loop of the tongue 8.

It has already been explained that the end of the base-piece 4 which underlies the hinge-portion of the clasp C is slotted at 6,

see Fig. 5, and the purpose of this is to provide two spaced-apart lugs 12, 12 which are employed as a reinforcement for the hinge-joint. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, these lugs 12, 12 are bent upwardly adjacent the cross-bar 7 on the bridge-piece 5, with their sides straddling the tongue 8. The ends of the lugs 12, 12 project above the bridge-piece 5 and are bent into arcuate shape to overlie the ears 10, 10 which form the hinge-connection of the upper j aw-member 2. Through this construction the lower base-piece 4 of the jaw 3 is rigidly connected with the end of the bridge-piece 5 and also with the hinge-joint of which it forms a part. The prime purpose of this connection is to reinforce and stiffen the hinge-joint to prevent undue play or looseness of the jaws of the clasp. The projections or lugs 12, 12 fit snugly against the hinge-ears 10, 10 and through their inherent spring tendency hold the parts of the hinge from side play or twisting, thus preventing a shackly joint. Furthermore, the spring pressure of the lugs 12, 12 against the hinge-ears 10, 10 causes a slight frictional resistance to the movement of the parts of the hinge, and this has a tendency to make for a smoother operation of the jaw-members; while also providing for holding the clasp in open relation when it is to be applied to the garments. At the outer end of the upper jaw 2, opposite from the hingejoint, is a curved hook 13 which is adapted to be snapped down over the circular loop 9 on the lower jaw 3 to hold the parts of the clasp in closed relation as illustrated in Fig. 2. The upper jaw 2 may be swung open to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, or even farther back if desired, and after the shoulder-straps of the garment have been entered between its parts the jaw'3 is closed toward the lower jaw 3 and its hook 13 snapped over the loop 9. With the parts ofthe clasp in closed relation the fabric-straps of the garments are bound snugly in place against the springbridgepiece 5, and this prevents the clasp from slipping out of place or sliding along the straps.

As will be observed from the foregoing description, my improved lingerie-clasp is similar in principle to like devices now known in the art. The improvement in the invention resides, however, in the novel construction and method of operation of the hinge-joint. As before explained, the lower jaw-member 3 is formed in one piece with the ends of the base 41 and bridge 5 united by an ingenious arrangement which also provides the reinforcement for the hinge joint of the upper jaw 2. This reinforcement not only serves to prevent side play at the joint but also tends to hold the two jaws properly alined and positioned to provide for the coiperation of their clasping ends. That is to say, the hinge is prevented from becoming loose or shackly so that the outer ends of the jaws will always clasp snugly and securely. For this reason my improved clasp is easier to operate and much more durable in use than most devices of this type. At the same time it can be manufactured more easily and economically, since the parts do not require to be united with solder, and it is also neater and more ornamental in appearance.

Slight modifications might be made in the form and structure of the parts of my improved device without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention; therefore, without limiting myself to the exact embodiment shown, what I claim is 1. In a lingerie-clasp for ladies garments, the combination of two opposite jaw-members hinged together at one end, with the outer free end of the upper member formed with a hook adapted to snap over a circular loop on the corresponding end of the lower member, said loop being extended inwardly toward the hinge in a bowed spring formed integral with and overlying the lower member and united thereto at its opposite end by spaced-apart lugs on one part engaging the opposite sides of the other part.

2. In a lingerie-clasp for ladies garments, the combination of two opposite jaw-members hinged together at one end, with the outer free end of the upper member formed with a hook adapted to snap over a loop .On the corresponding end of the lower member, said loop being extended inwardly toward the hinge in a bowed spring formed integral with and overlying the lower member, the end of said spring opposite from the loop being reduced in width and joined to the lower member by lugs extending up across its opposite sides.

3. In a lingerie-clasp for ladies garments, the combination of two opposite jaw-mem bers hinged together at one end with the outer free end of one member provided with a hook adapted to snap over aloop on the corresponding end of the other member, the hinge-joint being formed by ears on the members constructed in the form of circular loops, a hinge-pin extending through the loops, and lugs of arcuate form on one member arranged to partly surround and bear against the hinge-ears of the other member to reinforce the hinge-joint and prevent side play or looseness thereof.

4:. In a lingerie-clasp for ladies garments, the combination of two opposite jaw-members hinged together at one end with the outer free end of the upper member formed with a hook adapted to snap over a loop on the corresponding end of the lower member,

said loop being extended toward the hinge in a bowed bridge-piece formed integral with and overlying the lower member with its end curled around to form one ear of the hinge, the upper member having spaced ears curled around to form the other part of the hinge, a hinge-pin inserted through said ears, and

lugs spaced-apart on the lower member extending upwardly to straddle the sides of the bridge-piece with their ends bearing 10 against the hinge-ears on the upper member to reinforce and stiflen the hinge-joint.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ABRAHAM KESTENMAN. 

